Carolina French
I am drawn to portraiture. Human relationships have always been a top priority in my life, and that carries over into my artwork. Because of this, I am pursuing a degree in psychology in addition to my art degree. By studying the way the mind works, it gives me a different perspective on portraiture. We all have different experiences, struggles, and hopes. By creating portraits, I hope to create an expression or message that others can relate to. In a time filled with anxiety, depression, and opposition, I feel relationships and self-expression are more important than ever. This body of work features ten of my closest friends and the relationships I have formed with them throughout our college experience.
These black ink portraits capture the essential aspects of my friends’ expressions. They are simplified portraits, with minimal lines and detail. They resemble caricatures and cartoons, yet they are serious and proportional. The expressions in each portrait reveal what we all might feel on any given day. These portraits were made quickly, and in one setting. This is based on the practice of ‘mindfulness’ in art. This practice began in Japan in regard to calligraphy. It was named mindfulness because it could not be redone. The ink had to be used for the first time. Because I was working with people and their emotions at a particular moment, I was given a short amount of time to capture it. This practice of mindfulness is very different from many art practices that require time and many layers.
The flowers bring color into this body of work as well as various aspects of the people they are created from. The flowers represent where the subjects are from, where they live now, the colors that represent them, and who they are. The diversity in these simple flower paintings show how very different we all are from each other. These portraits allowed me to grow even closer with my friends, getting to know them on an even deeper level. The flower portraits were also done impasto - or in one sitting - in order to continue this practice of mindfulness. This allowed for the wet paint from the background to come into the flowers, creating a relationship between all of the colors.
I am drawn to portraits because the most important thing in my life are the people, therefore it carries over into my artwork. Portraits create an outlet for others to directly relate to. I hope my artwork does the same for you.
Carolina
17” x 14”
Marker on paper
Cameron
28.5” x 17”
Oil on canvas board, marker on paper
Henry
28.5” x 17”
Oil on canvas board, marker on paper
Natalie
28.5” x 17”
Oil on canvas board, marker on paper
Aubrey
28.5” x 17”
Oil on canvas board, marker on paper
Maggie
28.5” x 17”
Oil on canvas board, marker on paper
Allison
28.5” x 17”
Oil on canvas board, marker on paper
Mckenna
28.5” x 17”
Oil on canvas board, marker on paper
Sarah
28.5” x 17”
Oil on canvas board, marker on paper
Becca
28.5” x 17”
Oil on canvas board, marker on paper
Chloe
28.5” x 17”
Oil on canvas board, marker on paper
BIO
Carolina was born in Northwest Arkansas. Raised in a traditional Southern home, she moved away from her upbringing by going to college at Pepperdine University in Malibu, CA, where she is a double major in Studio Art and Psychology. She will begin attending Fuller Theological Seminary in the fall to begin the Marriage and Family Therapy program.
Her mixed opinions about the conservative culture she was raised in comes out in her artwork. Carolina’s work is focused on painting and drawing. Her oil paintings and charcoal drawings are primarily figurative. She also has been experimenting with new techniques while still discovering her individual voice independent of her traditional teachings.
Carolina’s work has been featured in the Junior Studios Exhibition, Evidence of Effective Struggle, in Currents magazine, and the Studio Art Thesis Exhibition, Untitled. This Might Get Personal.